


Of Times Lost Long Ago

by apple9131999



Series: The States of America [7]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Bleeding Kansas, Historical Hetalia, Period Typical Slurs, Pre-American Civil War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:01:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7034806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apple9131999/pseuds/apple9131999
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You shouldn’t talk to Kansas,” Lucas said</p><p>Connor screwed up his face in irritation. “Why not?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Times Lost Long Ago

**Author's Note:**

> Companion piece to 'Deep Waters Hold Reflections'

_June 6, 1854- present-day Kansas City, Missouri_

* * *

Liam collapsed just after he had pointed out a building on the horizon. He startled Connor, who had been carrying the brunt of his weight for a long time. He was babbling as he helped Liam lay down.

Liam only managed a weak groan in response, but he still tried to push up against Connor's hands.

"I-I-I'll get help, stay there, Liam, I'll be right back," he said as he started running for the fort.

When he reached the doors, he pounded against them, unconcerned over the fact that it was the middle of the night and they could barely see him. His only concern was for Liam- Liam who he wasn't even sure he could find now because he hadn't paused to see what was around them when he began to run.

The door opened and he almost punched a man in stomach, but froze upon finding a rifle pointed over his head. The man with the rifle seemed to notice him and paused.

"What are you doing out here, boy?"

"Me and my brother- he's hurt- You gotta help him!"

"How's he hurt, boy?"

“He hurt his leg crossing a river and I put his shirt on his leg, but he got dizzy and then he fainted and you gota help him! Will you help him?”

The man stared at him for a long moment, his gun dropping. He glared above Connor’s head and then opened the doors a little bit more. “Get in, boy.”

“His name is Liam, you gotta help him, mister!”

“I ain’t gotta do nothing, sonny, you here me? Your brother is good as dead out there what with the Injuns and whatever wound you think he got.”

Connor was appalled at the thought and he gasped as the man began to walk away from him. No no no _no_. He was supposed to _help_. Why was he walking away? And Liam couldn’t be dead…

Could he?

* * *

A lady showed up early the next morning, her skin dark and shining in the warm early light. She glanced over her shoulder as she was let in before riveting her attention on Connor.

He was sitting directly in front of the gates, planning on demanding that any man who walked out accompany him to where Liam was and help, unlike the first man.

She stared at him for a long time before approaching him. She squatted down in the dirt next to him, barely blinking at his steadfast gaze at the now sealed gates.

When she spoke, her voice was warm and rich like honey, “What are you doing, sweetie?”

“My brother needs help,” he told the gates and then looked at her. “Can you help?”

“What help does he need?”

“He’s hurt and I had to leave him last night because _they_ -” said with a venomous glare at the guards by the gate “-wouldn’t help me go get him and they said that he was dead, but he can’t be dead.”

The lady didn’t say anything for a while. “Does your brother have a name?”

“His name is Liam. My name is Connor,” he said, reaching out a small hand for an obligatory handshake.

“My name is Kyla,” she said, laughing, her big hand enveloping his easily. “What’s your mother’s name?”

“Don’t gotta momma. Neither does Liam.”

“Oh? What about a poppa?”

“Nope. Liam ‘nd I woke’d up by this big river, ‘nd he crossed it- that’s why he’s hurt.”

Kyla, if she was surprised, made no indication. Instead she just looked pleased. “Would it be okay if I helped you get your brother here?”

His eyes lit up and he scrambled to his feet. “No way! You would?”

Kyla laughed and started to ease herself back onto her feet. “I would,” she promised. 

He cheered and jumped in the air

* * *

They found Liam underneath the tree Connor had left him under. His leg was matted with blood, but they couldn’t tell if it was still bleeding. Kyla tutted as she pressed a hand to Liam’s forehead. His pale green eyes blinked blearily up at Kyla, but didn’t seem to be focused.

Connor squatted near Liam’s head as Kyla wormed her arm under his neck and lifted him up into the air.

“He gonna be okay?” he asked, chewing at his lip.

Kyla smiled down at him as Liam’s head lolled. “Don’t you worry one bit, Connor.”

* * *

Liam woke up after three days in the fort’s infirmary. He was in a lot of pain and didn’t seem to understand what Kyla was telling him- well both of them, but Connor felt he had a better understanding as to what was going on.

They were both territories, like Kyla, but not like Kyla, but she couldn’t explain until they went to visit her sisters because it was Something You Do Not Discuss without certain people near.

Long and short of it- Kyla was their older sister and they had many more.

Liam sort of fainted after that, but that just could have been from the gash in his leg. 

_June 26, 1854, Rhode Island Ave, Washington D.C._

* * *

"Now, Victoria doesn't know that you two are coming," Kyla whispered conspiratorially to the two of them. "So, you've got to be quiet and stick close. Sam will probably notice first, but she'll probably play along."

Then she slid gracefully out of the carriage, Connor on her heels. The footman held out a hand for Liam as he limped out of the carriage. Connor took his hand as they followed Kyla's swishing skirt as she meandered to the front door and walked in.

"Hullo!" she called out. "Victoria! Sam!"

"Kyla, hush," a voice from inside hissed. "The boys are still asleep."

"Isabelle!" Kyla cried out again, her arms spreading out to embrace a slightly little girl that appeared from the stairs. "How are you darling?"

Isabelle returned the hug gratefully as the first voice said again, "Really, Kyla, there's no need to be so loud."

Isabelle, while she was hugging Kyla, noticed the two boys standing in the doorway and her eyes widened. "Kyla? Who are them?"

Kyla released the girl and pouted at Isabelle. "Oh, Izzy, you ruined the surprise. Come over here boys and meet Samantha."

The girl sitting at the table- presumably Samantha- had long red hair that curled into corkscrews and waves. Her nose was big and her eyes were green and she was really pale compared to Kyla. She was holding a mug up to her nose, the steam wafting off, but her attention was on the two shy kids sitting in her kitchen. Kyla had encouraged Liam to sit and he had, Connor sliding into the seat next to him, resting his arms on the table, chin resting on his arms.

Samantha eyed the two of them as Isabelle and Kyla joined the three in sitting at the table. "Kyla, who are they?"

"Nebraska and Kansas Territory. I'm not sure who is who."

Samantha sent her a weird look. "How would you not know?"

"They showed up in my territory in early June and Liam- the blonde- was feverish with a cut he apparently got from trying to cross a river, and Connor- the other one- didn't know north vs south and couldn't answer when I asked. Neither answer to either."

"Who found them before you?"

"Just some of my boys at my fort by the border."

"Yes, but who named them?"

"I named Liam," Connor said suddenly, his big dark blue eyes on Samantha. "'nd he named me."

Samantha looked at him suddenly, assessing the small child.

"They're evidently twins," Kyla said softly, looking to Connor with some amusement. "Kind of like Savannah and Ryan."

Samantha shook her head. "No, with Savannah and Ryan it was a little more complicated than that." Then she rubbed her forehead. "Oh, _Kyla_ you couldn't have come a week earlier?"

"No, Liam's leg was still bleeding. I even crossed the river with him to try and get it to heal faster, but it didn't."

Samantha looked up, suspicion evident in her expression. "Then are you sure that you didn't just find two mortal boys?"

"How old do you think I am, Sam. I know them. They are my brothers and yours as well, can't you feel it?"

"I don't know," Samantha conceded, sighing and slumping in her seat. "It gets hard with however many children have already passed through here to tell. But I trust you. Victoria is going to have kittens when she gets back."

"Where'd she go?" Kyla asked as she stood and walked to the fireplace.

Samantha covered her face with her hands. "Kansas and Nebraska."

Kyla's laughter echoed throughout the grounds until Victoria finally arrived about a month later and then it was a sharp squeal of terror following Victoria's enraged shout of _'Kyla!'_

_May 20, 1856- Rhode Island Ave, Washington D.C._

“You shouldn’t talk to Kansas,” Lucas said when he had stood to follow Liam out of the room. Lucas was standing in the doorway, looming down over Connor, his hands on his hips, frowning down.

Connor screwed up his face in irritation. “Why not?” he demanded.

“Well, he’s a freak, i’n’t he?”

“ _No_ ,” he snapped, sticking out his lower lip in a frown.

“Yeah he is, everyone thinks so.”

“I don’t.”

“You should.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s just makin’ trouble and bleeds for _ever_ if he’s cut. Also he can’t even decide to be free like the two of us.”

Connor frowned. He hadn’t really thought of that- it didn’t make any difference to him. Besides- “Diego’s a slave state.”

“That’s different- he’s _Spanish_. He’s not really one of us.”

Connor still wasn’t convinced; Lucas huffed and crossed his arms across his chest. “What if he _bites_ you.”

“What?”

“Those people were fighting because of him- what if he fights with you and he bites you and you get his cooties ‘nd start bleedin’ all o’er the place like him.”

A thrill of fear ran through him. “That wouldn’t happen.”

“But you don’t know, do you?”

No he didn’t know. He hesitated and Lucas stood proud in his win. Smugly he walked away, casting a look over his shoulder.

Connor suddenly felt very small.


End file.
